Radtke Sports, Gridiron Authentics...

[aeneas01]

yeah, mvandor, i noticed the same thing - but it looks like radtke has ended the auction per the mistake. btw, what's the deal - are radtke and ga the same outfit? are they related in any way? i mean what are the odds that they would describe their favre helmets (as i mentioned at the beginning of this thread) in the exact same manner - verbatim..

any comment rick?


radtke sports:

"...many unique game features include: packer's custom pearl-metallic "packer gold" paint, usa tribute flag, clear warning decal..."
http://cgi.ebay.com/BRETT-FAVRE-AUTO...QQcmdZViewItem

gridiron authentics:

"...many unique game features include: packer's custom pearl-metallic "packer gold" paint.... usa tribute flag..."
http://cgi.ebay.com/BRETT-FAVRE-AUTO...QQcmdZViewItem

[mvandor]

are radtke and ga the same outfit?

I do not believe that they are related in any way, not even based in the same area of the country as I recall. I suspect one copied the other's content in an effort to expedite the ebay listing process, no more...

[radtke]

yeah, mvandor, i noticed the same thing - but it looks like radtke has ended the auction per the mistake. btw, what's the deal - are radtke and ga the same outfit? are they related in any way? i mean what are the odds that they would describe their favre helmets (as i mentioned at the beginning of this thread) in the exact same manner - verbatim..

any comment rick?


radtke sports:

"...many unique game features include: packer's custom pearl-metallic "packer gold" paint, usa tribute flag, clear warning decal..."
http://cgi.ebay.com/BRETT-FAVRE-AUTO...QQcmdZViewItem

gridiron authentics:

"...many unique game features include: packer's custom pearl-metallic "packer gold" paint.... usa tribute flag..."
http://cgi.ebay.com/BRETT-FAVRE-AUTO...QQcmdZViewItem

There is no relation between us. We are two seperate companies. Gridiron copied the listing.

[aeneas01]

thanks for the reply rick -

have you ever contacted ga and said "stop palgiarizing"? i mean they've been doing this for quite a long time, copying your descriptions...

[radtke]

thanks for the reply rick -

have you ever contacted ga and said "stop palgiarizing"? i mean they've been doing this for quite a long time, copying your descriptions...

Unfortunately,

It is impossible to police everyone on Ebay. If we could do that, Ebay would be a much better place. Thanks for the heads up.

[aeneas01]

gridiron authentics not only has a "game issue" favre helmet listed on ebay but now also has a "tom brady 2001 patriots game issue helmet" with a starting price of $985. ga descibes the brady listing as a "...tom brady new england patriots game issue helmet from the 2001 season and specifically the game against the Jets... helmet is extremely rare. it is not a home-made or 'rigged' piece..."

this item description is more than laughable especially given that this offering is exactly what ga says it's not - "a home-made... rigged piece..." the facemask is incorrect, the chinstrap is incorrect and the patriot side decals aren't even close to being positioned correctly - many seasoned ebay helmet reproducers have offered much more accurate brady reproductions in the past without the "game issue" nonsense and the hefty price tag. apparently gridiron authentics feels the 911 memorial decal they've included adds about $800 to the worth of this weak reproduction.

well, after not getting too many (or any?) bites it looks like ga decided that listing its "tom brady 2001 game issue helmet" on ebay with a starting price of $985 wasn't going to pay the rent. so they went ahead and relisted this "extremely rare" gem with a starting price of $10 and no reserve. 11 bids later they finally fetched $318 for the thing...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=016

[mvandor]

Off season is generally a bad time to sell NFL stuff on ebay in my experience, good time to buy though. But it's great it went for an appropriate value, perhaps this board is being seen by more people and having more of a positive influence than I previously believed.

Unfortunately Joe hasn't cleaned up his "game issue" descriptions so far as I can tell, nor responded to the thread (I emailed him) so I presume he's decided to ignore GUU and his more knowledgeable customers unlike Rick Radtke.

[mvandor]

aeneas01, check out http://cgi.ebay.com/Tom-Brady-F-S-Ga...QQcmdZViewItem.

Gridiron Authentics actually provided LOA's with the unsigned Brady helmets. Amazing.

They were one of my two fav sellers on ebay (Rick Radtke being the other). I spent thousands with Joe, but this whole "game issue" thing with GA is really hurting my previously held very high opinion of he and his firm. Just not an honest representation.

As to his representations to me that neither he nor his staff added anything to the helmets, that they're sold as he received them, and his comments to you that they were sourced from the reconditioners...

Do reconditioners apply stickers? I thought they just verified safety and repainted the shells?

[aeneas01]

Unfortunately, It is impossible to police everyone on Ebay. If we could do that, Ebay would be a much better place. Thanks for the heads up.

interesting - i would have thought a business competitor such as ga with similar items as yours and a whopping 14,000 ebay sales might have come to your attention before now....

aeneas01, check out http://cgi.ebay.com/Tom-Brady-F-S-Ga...QQcmdZViewItem.

Gridiron Authentics actually provided LOA's with the unsigned Brady helmets. Amazing.

beautiful...

They were one of my two fav sellers on ebay (Rick Radtke being the other). I spent thousands with Joe, but this whole "game issue" thing with GA is really hurting my previously held very high opinion of he and his firm. Just not an honest representation.

no, it's not an honest representation mvandor - as i've mentioned before, imo there's only one reason to claim a helmet is a "game issue" piece of equipment when it isn't, and one reason only - to intentionally attempt to inflate the value of a reproduction.

As to his representations to me that neither he nor his staff added anything to the helmets, that they're sold as he received them, and his comments to you that they were sourced from the reconditioners...

Do reconditioners apply stickers? I thought they just verified safety and repainted the shells?

first of all, every college and nfl equipment manager i have ever spoken with has told me that team decals are a) purchased by the team and b) applied by the equipment manager, not the reconditioner.

second, i can't imagine that any nfl or college organization would freely allow their reconditioner to sell, distribute, trade or make available to the public their game used helmets that don't pass inspection. and, further, i can't imagine that any nfl or college organization would freely give their reconditioner permission to dress up any other helmets in the reconditioner's possession, using team colors and stock decals, for the purpose of selling them to the public as game issued or game used.

but, for the record, i decided to pose this question to circle systems group, a major reconditioner for college and pro teams and this is the response i received..


----- Original Message -----
From: David Drill (davidd@circlesystemgroup.com)

Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 8:58 AM
Subject: RE: RECONDITIONING QUESTION

We do not supply the decals when doing helmets for nfl teams. They apply them. Any helmet sent in is their property and we return all of them to the teams.

but, with that said, do rejected game used helmets ever make their way out of a reconditioning room and into the hands of the public? i'm sure it's happened before. is it policy? do reconditioners routinely and above board supply the gridirion authentics of the world with authentic "game issued" helmets of particular teams for the purpose of resale. i don't think so...

[mvandor]

aeneas, while we're on the GA subject, would you mind looking at pics of my Montana "game issue" helmet from GA? I actually bought it on ebay from the orig buyer, not GA directly, about a year ago. Unlike my other helmets, this one is rough inside and does have leather jaw pads, however, the numbering seems too clean inside, and given our recent discussions on GA, I'd be shocked if this actually was ever a team issued dome. In any event would appreciate your comments.



Rest of pics here: http://thevandors.com/montana